Soziale Integration nach 4 Jahren Diamorphinbehandlung

TY - JOUR

T1 - Soziale Integration nach 4 Jahren Diamorphinbehandlung

AU - Verthein, U

AU - Schäfer, I

AU - Degkwitz, P

N1 - © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

PY - 2013/8/1

Y1 - 2013/8/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Studies from several countries have by now shown the effectiveness of heroin-assisted treatment in comparison to methadone treatment. However, only few long-term results exist, and in particular data with a focus on social integration of the patients are scarce.OBJECTIVE: The study analyzes the course of long-term social integration among the patients of the German diamorphine study.METHODS: Individual changes in health, drug use and social integration among patients who had participated in a 4-year diamorphine treatment (n=156) were described and statistically tested by means of repeated measures analyses. The criteria used are based on the instruments OTI-HSS and SCL-90-R, on medical findings, urinalyses, and on variables as well as composite scores from the European Addiction Severity Index.RESULTS: In all domains significant improvements were found after long-term treatment. The percentage of patients employed or currently working had increased 3-fold up to 40% after 4 years. Moreover, the living situation and leisure behaviour improved, and criminal activities declined markedly. The main influencing factor for successful social integration after 4 years of treatment is the ability to work.CONCLUSIONS: Heroin-assisted treatment is a long-term effective treatment for severely dependent opiate addicts with respect to stabilization of health, reduction of illegal drug use and improvement of social integration. Furthermore, the results show that processes of social (re-)integration of drug users take time.

AB - BACKGROUND: Studies from several countries have by now shown the effectiveness of heroin-assisted treatment in comparison to methadone treatment. However, only few long-term results exist, and in particular data with a focus on social integration of the patients are scarce.OBJECTIVE: The study analyzes the course of long-term social integration among the patients of the German diamorphine study.METHODS: Individual changes in health, drug use and social integration among patients who had participated in a 4-year diamorphine treatment (n=156) were described and statistically tested by means of repeated measures analyses. The criteria used are based on the instruments OTI-HSS and SCL-90-R, on medical findings, urinalyses, and on variables as well as composite scores from the European Addiction Severity Index.RESULTS: In all domains significant improvements were found after long-term treatment. The percentage of patients employed or currently working had increased 3-fold up to 40% after 4 years. Moreover, the living situation and leisure behaviour improved, and criminal activities declined markedly. The main influencing factor for successful social integration after 4 years of treatment is the ability to work.CONCLUSIONS: Heroin-assisted treatment is a long-term effective treatment for severely dependent opiate addicts with respect to stabilization of health, reduction of illegal drug use and improvement of social integration. Furthermore, the results show that processes of social (re-)integration of drug users take time.

KW - Activities of Daily Living

KW - Adult

KW - Crime

KW - Drug Substitution

KW - Employment

KW - Female

KW - Germany

KW - Heroin

KW - Heroin Dependence

KW - Humans

KW - Longitudinal Studies

KW - Male

KW - Recovery of Function

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

KW - Treatment Outcome

U2 - 10.1055/s-0032-1323663

DO - 10.1055/s-0032-1323663

M3 - SCORING: Zeitschriftenaufsatz

C2 - 23233342

VL - 52

SP - 243

EP - 250

JO - REHABILITATION

JF - REHABILITATION

SN - 0034-3536

IS - 4

ER -